AFL life membership for Nisbett

West Coast's chief executive celebrates the 1994 grand final victory with then coach Mick Malthouse and Tim Gepp

West Coast is delighted to announce that chief executive officer Trevor Nisbett will receive AFL Life Membership for his services to Australian football.

As one of eight new members, Nisbett will be inducted at the 2013 Annual General Meeting in March after having his award confirmed by the AFL Commission.

Dual premiership player and current Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna has also received life membership, along with Geelong’s Matthew Scarlett, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick, Fremantle coach Ross Lyon and Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich.

Nisbett joins Richmond’s Michael Green and Collingwood’s Kevin Rose as inductees welcomed under the provision of ‘Special Services to the Game’.

Playing in the WAFL with East Perth before becoming football manager and general manager of the club, Nisbett then worked with Subiaco and was at the club during its run of four successive grand finals between 1985 and 1988, including premierships in 1986 and 1988. He joined the West Coast Eagles as football manager in 1989, filling the role for a decade before taking his current role as club chief executive in 1999.

Nisbett said he was delighted to be receiving the award.

“It’s wonderful news,” Nisbett said. “I was informed by Andrew [Demetriou] just before Christmas that I was a nomination, but that it would need to be ratified by the commission.

“There have been so many highlights throughout my career, and obviously many ups and downs along the way.

“Being involved in football for almost my entire working life has been such a privilege. The AFL is an institution in its own right and to be part of it is fantastic.

“I’d also like to congratulate Bluey [Guy McKenna] on his achievement. It’s just reward for an outstanding career to date.”

McKenna qualified for life membership on the basis of his combined tally of premiership games, pre-season games and state games, both as a player and a coach. He played 267 senior games for West Coast between 1988 and 2000, including the club’s first two premierships in 1992 and 1994, and has coached the Gold Coast Suns since the club entered the competition for the 2011 season.

AFL chief executive officer Andrew Demetriou said the commission congratulated each individual on his award and that the game looked forward to thanking each of them personally again for their contribution to football, both on-field as players and coaches and off-field for their service as administrators and officials.